Canada supports U.S. actions in destroying Iran's nuclear program, Carney says
PM also says Canada not participating militarily and wasn't part of military buildup
As U.S. President Donald Trump charges ahead with a major attack on Iran, Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada supports at least one component of the American mission: destroying Iran's nuclear program.
"Canada supports the United States acting to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and to prevent its regime from threatening international peace and security," Carney said in a speech at the Canada-India Growth and Investment Forum in Mumbai on Saturday.
"Canada's position remains clear: The Islamic Republic of Iran is the principal source of instability and terror throughout the Middle East, has one of the world's worst human rights records and must never be allowed to obtain or develop nuclear weapons."
After his speech, Carney said Canada is not participating militarily and that the federal government was "not party to the military buildup or planning."
The U.S. and Israel launched an attack on Iran on Saturday, with the first apparent strike happening near the offices of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
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Soon after the attack began, Trump released a video on social media declaring that the objective of the U.S. "is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime."
"It has always been the policy of the United States, in particular my administration, that this terrorist regime can never have a nuclear weapon."
Trump claimed that Iran has continued to develop its nuclear program and plans to develop missiles to reach the United States. He also appealed to the Iranian people to "take over your government — it will be yours to take."
Trump acknowledged that there could be American casualties following strikes by Iran, saying "that often happens in war."
Iran hit back at Israel and several Gulf countries with U.S. military bases, which Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand condemned.
"We strongly condemns the attacks of the Iranian regime against our partners in the Middle East," she said in a statement. "These attacks must stop."
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said on social media his party supports "the courageous people of Iran in toppling this terror regime and reclaiming their destiny after 47 years of the regime's occupation."
"Conservatives support a democratic, free and permanently-denuclearized Iran that lives in peace and security with its neighbours. And Conservatives support the United States, Israel, and our allies across the Gulf to defend their sovereignty and dismantle the clerical military dictatorship of Iran," Poilievre said.
Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet said on social media in French that his party "recognizes the persistent threat posed by the Iranian regime to the security of the region and the freedom of Iranians," but has concerns the U.S. is using military force without the approval of Congress.
"Such endorsement of the attacks thus appears premature: both Donald Trump and the Iranian regime show a lack of regard for civilian lives, international law must prevail, and negotiation as well as sanctions remain the preferred paths," Blanchet said.
Other federal leaders, including interim NDP Leader Don Davies and Green Party Leader Elizabeth May have not yet commented on the attack.
But NDP foreign affairs critic Alexandre Boulerice said in a statement the party "strongly condemns the American and Israeli bombings of Iran. This is a dangerous escalation that risks dragging the entire region into a major conflict."
He added: "The NDP deplores the Carney government's decision to blindly support this dangerous venture by Israel and Donald Trump's administration. We want Canada to be a voice for diplomacy, peace, and international law."
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With files from John Paul Tasker